Jan 7, 2022 | Access Mats, News
GFI is ready to provide installation services you can trust at any worksite. With 24/7 service and a legacy of supporting professionals like you, we know how valuable efficient installation is to keep your deadlines on track and your worksite functioning safely. GFI Solutions is proud to be the premier supplier of Sterling Solutions access crane mats in Canada. Keep reading to learn more about our crane mats and everything that makes our service stand out.
Service Anywhere, Anytime
Getting the service you need is our priority, which is why we offer 24/7 support. No matter where your worksite is located, we are happy to support you so that you never fall behind on your project deadlines. GFI Solutions is here to ease your project demands. Partnering with us gives you the comfort of knowing that you have access mat professionals on your side anywhere, anytime.
Best in Installation
GFI is proud to supply you with Sterling Solutions’ Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) crane mats. Since these exceptional mats weigh significantly less than traditional bolted mats, they are quicker to install. Quick installation means you can save up to 40% on labour and equipment costs before your project has even been completed. We work to get your installation done quickly, and these innovative CLT mats are a big part of the process.
CLT crane mats can also be fitted to connect so that you have one seamless and secure foundation for your crane. We use interconnecting fingers on our cranes to ensure the connection is sturdy and ideal for holding or transporting any weight.
Environmentally Friendly
It is essential to try and be as environmentally aware as possible when choosing your access matting. CLT crane mats are environmentally friendly access mats that are made from sustainable southern yellow pine. By choosing CLT crane mats, you are helping save hardwood forests and reduce carbon emissions while also getting the most innovative and efficient access solution available.
Trust GFI Today
GFI Solutions is here to serve you, no matter your worksite needs. We offer exceptional, 24/7 support and can bring you the expertise you need to feel secure. Our experience providing crane mats in industries including the oil and gas, drilling, refinery, power, and construction industries makes it possible for us to anticipate your worksite needs depending on the topography of your worksite.
These mats are innovative site access solutions that offer the best cost-saving and long-term ROI with their durability and lightweight. Trust us to give you the best crane mats so that you don’t have to worry about your mats when you are on the job. With our years of experience, we can make your crane mat installation as easy as possible.
Ready to Learn More?
Our team is ready to work with you on all your crane mat installation needs! Contact us to learn more about our services today.
May 13, 2021 | Access Mats, News
Do you need fast access to dependable crane mat rentals? Tired of blowing your budget on heavy bolted mats that can fail under pressure and leave you in a bind? Whether your job site needs crane and rig mats that can tackle the heaviest of jobs, or just needs extra access mats to build a safe road to and from key locations on your site, GFI has you covered. As Western Canada’s top source for access mat rentals and sales, we carry a diverse range of site-safe CLT access mats, available in multiple sizes and weights. When you need rental solutions today, we’re here to help. Learn more about site-safe CLT access mats, as well as GFI’s rental solutions, below.
CLT Mats: The New Way Forward
Move over bolted mats, there’s a new champ on the block! Despite being one of the more recent arrivals on the site access scene, CLT access mats have taken the industry by storm, and it’s no surprise. With a lighter weight profile that’s up to 40% less than standard bolted mats and a life cycle that’s 3-5x the length, CLT mats are ideal for investors and renters that want to make the most of their dollar without ever compromising on quality. Heavy-duty models in the 500 level family are just as capable of tackling difficult jobs like working with rigs and cranes, while still saving you considerable cash flow thanks to the ability to ship up to 25% more per load thanks to their lightweight profile.
How CLT Works
Cross Laminated Timber mats differ from bolted mats thanks to their unique design and manufacturing method. Instead of bolting planks together, CLT are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive that allows the entire mat to flex when heavy pressure or weight is applied. This makes the mat much stronger overall, as well as far less prone to sudden breakages as well as many of the other headaches caused by bolted mats.
GFI: Your Source for Site Safe CLT Mat Rentals
With decades of combined experience in the industry backing our team, GFI Solutions values just how important it is to have readily available rentals accessible when you need them. Our commitment to our customers is that we will always stock superior products and offer round-the-clock service to ensure you have the support you need, 365 days a year. From 24/7 rental and sales support to inventory management, mat washing, expedited delivery installation and more, GFI Solutions is here to help you keep your project on track. Contact our team today to learn more.
May 5, 2021 | Access Mats, News
If your construction, oil & gas, petroleum, rigging, or related heavy industrial site is in need of safe site access solutions that can stand up to the demands of machinery and constant transport, GFI is here to help. As one of Canada’s leading distributors of site-safe CLT access mats, as well as a premier provider of services including delivery and installation, mat washing and more, you can count on our team to have you covered for all your site access needs. Learn more about the benefits of using CLT access mats, as well as partnering with GFI below!
Built Tough, No Compromising
It’s no secret that the heavy industrial sector faces unique challenges when it comes to accommodating the unique needs of their job sites. From handling oversized and heavyweight equipment to transport loads that can weigh far more, the need for matting solutions that make it easy to stay on target is paramount. While traditional bolted mats were once the go-to fix, today’s industry leaders increasingly choose to use Cross-laminated timber (CLT) mats, which offer unbeatable performance, as well as a lightweight profile that allows for faster and cheaper shipping. With mats that are capable of performing under the same demands as standard rig and crane mats and significant savings to be found, it’s no wonder that CLT mats have become the preferred choice when it comes to heavy-duty applications!
CLT Mats: Taking A Closer Look
If you’re one of the many businesses that have been standing by bolted mats for decades but find yourself looking for a more efficient option, you may or may not be familiar with the basics of CLT matting. Unlike bolted mats, Cross-Laminated Timber mats are constructed using alternating perpendicular layers of wood that are then bonded (laminated) with a special environmentally friendly adhesive that leads to optimal strength and safety. The secret to the unbeatable performance of CLT mats comes down to this construction method, which allows the mats to flex under pressure rather than focusing all of the weight on bolted points, which frequently leads to sudden failures.
Additional benefits of using CLT mats include:
- High impact resistance and durability.
- Increased life span (3-5 times that of traditional mats).
- The glue lamination and wax seal on all 4 edges of site-safe CLT mats makes them less vulnerable to moisture and rot.
- Able to withstand the Canadian climate, all year-round.
- Lower shipping costs due to the lightweight nature of the mats (up to 60% more load capacity), and more.
Site Safe CLT Access Mats at GFI Solutions
GFI is proud to be a full-scale solutions provider for the site access industry. Our team offers customers access to 24/7 rental and sales service, as well as mat washing, installation, turnkey services, and more. Learn more about our products including rig and crane mats by contacting our team today!
Mar 29, 2021 | Access Mats, News
If you’ve read our previous piece on five of the most common misconceptions about CLT mats, you’ve likely begun to realize that there are more than a few reasons they’ve become such a relied-upon resource industry-wide. Whether you’re renting or buying, CLT access mats pack a punch and can easily compete with traditional heavy timber mats while affording you plenty of savings in the process.
Thanks to their unique composition (read more on that here) TerraLam® CLT access mats offer a lifecycle that’s 3-5x longer than traditional mats and stands up to even the toughest of demands. GFI Solutions is proud to be the exclusive Canadian distributor of one of the markets’ top products, TerraLam® mats by Sterling Solutions. Read on to learn 5 more misconceptions about TerraLam® CLT mats and the facts to keep in mind.
1. Different Sizes = Big Headaches
Because TerraLam® CLT mats are typically somewhat smaller than their oak counterparts, some may worry that they will be difficult to lay down or interconnect. Fortunately, TerraLam® mats can be fitted with interconnecting fingers that work in the same manner as traditional bolted access mats.
2. Hard to Repair
Another point of confusion where TerraLam® CLT mats are concerned is a misconception that can be attributed to their unique composition. While some may think that the mats being a solid block of wood makes them hard to repair, the opposite is true. In fact, necessary repairs can be done easily and at less expense than with bolted access mats. Repairs to bolted mats often require removing rusted or bent bolts and fragmented boards. Because TerraLam® CLT mats do not have any of these additional risks, they’re much safer on the job site than a damaged bolted mat.
3. Rough On the Environment
There are no two ways around it; this one just isn’t true. TerraLam® CLT mats are made in such a fashion that makes them environmentally friendly thanks to two main points:
- TerraLam® CLT mats are made with Southern Yellow Pine, which in addition to being 30% harder than Douglas fir, grows back much faster, reducing your impact on the environment.
- The adhesive used to bond mats together is eco-friendly, meaning it will not harm your job site.
4. Hard to Recycle
Eventually, even the toughest of mats will need to be replaced. While some may argue that CLT mats are difficult to recycle once they come to the end of their active lifespan, this isn’t true. It is easier and more environmentally friendly to dispose of TerraLam® CLT mats than traditional bolted mats since there are no bolts to worry about, and once they’re removed from use they can be reused in a variety of ways, including being ground for mulch, used for livestock bedding, or even becoming a component of bio-fuel.
5. It’s Better to Trust Something Standard
While it can be intimidating to switch to a new type of product, the fear of innovation should never be allowed to slow your business now. The facts show that TerraLam® CLT access mats offer vastly superior performance, save you time and money, and go above and beyond to protect the environment.
It’s time to supercharge your next project with site access you can count on. Contact GFI Solutions to learn more about the benefits of TerraLam® CLT mats today!
Nov 23, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Cooler weather is just around the corner, are your site access solutions prepared?
It’s no secret that Canada is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and terrains, as well as some harsh and unpredictable weather shifts all year round. As summer gives way to winter and eventually to the freeze/melt cycles of spring, having the right access solutions in place can help protect your team and equipment, while also making sure you stay on track with timing.
As a rising star in the matting industry, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have become the go-to solution by the biggest players in the construction, oil & gas, renewable energy, petrochemical, mining, power and related heavy industries. In addition to a lighter profile that makes it easy to haul up to 25% more per shipment, as well as a life cycle that can last up to 3-5 times longer, CLT mats offer exceptional strength under even the toughest of conditions. Learn more about the benefits of using CLT mats for temporary site access solutions below!
What is Cross Laminated Timber?
Cross-Laminated Timber mats, better known as “CLT mats” differ from traditional bolted mats largely due to their unique design/manufacturing process. Where traditional mats, as the name suggests, are made by bolting mixed planks together, CLT mats are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood (southern yellow pine in the case of TerraLam® matting) with a special adhesive. This process allows the mat to flex under pressure and evenly distribute weight through the entire surface area to reduce the chance of breakages, even under heavy loads. CLT mats are preferred industry-wide due to their ability to:
Flex Under Pressure
Despite being 40% lighter than most bolted mats, CLT mats offer superior strength, with certain models even being capable of assisting with heavy machinery like cranes, and more.
Take a beating
Need mats that won’t give out in tough conditions? No problem! TerraLam® access mats have been tested successfully in temperatures as low as -70°F and as high as 150°F and the solid top of the mats makes it easy to clear mud, snow, or ice.
Fulfill Sustainability Requirements
TerraLam® mats are made with an adhesive that becomes chemically inactive once it leaves Sterling’s facility, meaning that it presents no potential to harm the environment and the mat itself will help protect the ground from unnecessary disturbance.
Comes in Multiple Sizes
TerraLam® Mats are available in 3 or 5-ply construction, with multiple sizes available.
Canada’s Exclusive Source For TerraLam®
As Canada’s leading source for access mat solutions, GFI is proud to be the sole Canadian distributor of Sterling Solutions‘ range of TerraLam® products, including their 300 and 500 model access mats, access bridges, and more. Learn more about TerraLam® mats by contacting our team today.
